Independence Northwest is a support service brokerage serving nearly 600 Oregonians with developmental disabilities in the Portland tri-county area.
24/07/2025
Cool new technology developments including AI!
Technology for people with disabilities is advancing at an unprecedented pace, with artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and mainstream tech giants leading the way in accessibility innovation. Here’s a look at the most exciting developments, highlighting recent announcements from Apple,...
23/07/2025
Important information about EBT cards...
Ways for people to protect their EBT card Oregon Department of Human Services sent this bulletin at 06/27/2025 10:00 AM PDT Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page. June 27, 2025 Contact: Deb Curran, debra.curran@odhs.oregon.gov, 503-798-3125 call or text Ways for people to protect....
22/07/2025
Celebrating the passage of Senate Bill 810!
Employment First signed into law Oregon Department of Human Services sent this bulletin at 06/20/2025 09:14 AM PDT Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page. This message is posted online in اللغة العربية, English, Русский, Soomaali, Español, 简体中文 and Tiế...
21/07/2025
Don't miss this week's ADA webinar Hannah and Shane Burcaw, who host YouTube channel Squirmy and Grubs on changing perceptions about disabilities!
Webinar series to honor 35 years of disability civil rights kicks off July 8 Oregon Department of Human Services sent this bulletin at 06/30/2025 10:44 AM PDT Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page. June 30, 2025 Contact: Adrienne Goins, Communications.dhs@odhsoha.oregon.gov Webina...
18/07/2025
Save the date! The Employment First Summit is coming this October!
Employment First Summit invitation Oregon Department of Human Services sent this bulletin at 07/08/2025 11:15 AM PDT Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page. This message is posted online in Spanish. July 8, 2025 From: Allison Enriquez, Statewide Employment First Coordinator To: Emp...
17/07/2025
Please Help The Oregon Developmental Disability Council Shape Their 5 Year Plan
The Oregon Developmental Disability Council is a federally funded organization whose mission is to "advance social and policy change so that people with developmental disabilities, their families and communities may live, work, play, and learn together."
They are currently developing their next 5 year plan and are asking for your input. You can find the survey here or follow the QR code below.
16/07/2025
The Oregon Department of Human Services is offering free emergency kits and power stations for older adults and qualified people with physical disabilities.
16/07/2025
🐈⬛🐈🐕🐩It's National Pet Fire Safety Day and this is a GREAT time to run a fire drill geared towards your pets! Check out these amazing tips from the Humane Society!
Keep pets safe this National Pet Fire Safety Day. Learn how to prevent pet-started fires, prepare an emergency plan that includes your furry family, and keep everyone protected if a fire breaks out.
11/07/2025
🌞 Forecasts suggest the Portland metro area may see temps in the high 90s and potentially over 100 degrees next week. What steps can you take this weekend to get prepared?
📌 On July 1st, 2007, INW's very first contract with the State of Oregon Department of Human Services went into effect. Our first customer (Hi, Katy!) entered services on October 1st, 2007 - and we went on to enroll a record 450 brokerage customers across three counties over the next 18 months!
09/07/2025
Community Vision is offering a free training. It’s called “Technology solutions training for self-advocates and families.”
The training is for:
Self-advocates and people with disabilities
Families and friends
Caregivers
The training is about items that can support you in your daily life. These include assistive technology, adaptive devices and everyday items. The training will explain how these services might be for you and how to get them. It will also talk about the funding for these services.
Here are the details:
Dates:
July 29 (English) and
Aug. 20 (English with Spanish interpretation)
Time:
5:30 to 7 p.m.
To register, go tohttps://www.oregon.gov/odhs/news/directors-messages/odds-2025-07-08-director-assitive-technology-en.pdf
Choose the date you want to attend and the link will take you to a form. It asks for your name and email.
How to attend:
When you register, Zoom will email you a link to join the webinar.
Join us here at INW as we celebrate Social Wellbeing Awareness Month. All of us need connections to our community. Especially those that are marginalized and experience discrimination. Together we can bring awareness to this important issue.
Be the first to know and let us send you an email when independence northwest posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Since 2007, Independence Northwest has been serving the Oregon I/DD (Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities) community as a support services brokerage. We provide case management, resource navigation, and connections to home and community-based supports to over 500 adults in the Portland tri-county area (Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington counties.) We’re a nonprofit governed by a board of directors comprised almost entirely of people with disabilities and their family members.
If you’re 18 or older, have been diagnosed with an intellectual and/or developmental disability, and you live independently or with your family in the community, you’re most likely eligible for our services. Once enrolled in services, you can choose whichever brokerage(s) serve(s) your county. Here in the Portland metro area, you have up to six different choices including Independence Northwest. Once you choose your brokerage, you then have the option to choose your own Personal Agent. If you’d like to learn more about INW’s Personal Agents, click here.
Your Personal Agent works with somewhere around 45 brokerage customers. If at any time, you’re interested in working with someone else, just let us know and we’ll help you find the right fit. When you first begin services, an assessor is responsible for reviewing your support needs and determining what state and federally-funded resources may be available for you. Once you know your benefit level, your PA will then help you find professionals to help you meet your goals. You can choose from Domestic Employees or Provider Organizations. Domestic Employees are Personal Support Workers whose rates are determined by agreement between the SEIU (union) and the state; Provider Organization rates are determined by the state. Each year, you will develop an Individual Support Plan (ISP.) Our job is to help you meet your goals – your plan says what YOU want it to say.
Brokerage services in Oregon are amongst the most progressive in the United States.
If you have questions about who we are and what we do, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We are honored to serve nearly 500 customers and their families throughout the tri-county region.